FRONT GALLERY: EDWINA COOPER (SA) - PORT-ALL

Opening - 5:30 PM - Wednesday, 2nd November

Artist Talks - 6:00pm

Running - 3rd November - 19th November 2016

As a sailor, I am interested in the interactions and translations of human and oceanic space.

The port, as a human construct, acts as an interface between human and ocean, land dwelling and seafaring. However, the ocean’s boundary remains unfixable; where it meets civilisation we make attempts at securing a hospitable space through the construction of ports as sheltered systems. The sea continually attempts to reclaim its fluid boundary. In this sense, our constructs - as an extension of land - share our inferiority in the face of oceanic immensity. Interaction with the port as the gateway to seafaring, enables us to be distanced spectators of oceanic peril, whilst standing on provides a universal comprehension of oceanic experience.

The works in Port-all have been developed in response to research undertaken in the port town of Marseille (France), as a part of my residency at Dos Mares in May/June 2016. More specifically, they consider the notional movement under-foot and cohabitation observed by boats in port, as a tethered floating piece of human space.